LCCI chief criticizes amendments to Income Tax Ord, Federal Excise Act

LAHORE: President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), Mian Abuzar Shad, has termed the recent amendments made through Presidential Ordinance to the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 and the Federal Excise Act 2005 as dangerous for the business community.

He stated that the extraordinary powers granted to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) through this ordinance threaten private business autonomy, civil liberties, and the stability of the economy. Responding immediately, Mian Abuzar Shad has called for an emergency meeting of all Chambers of Commerce and Trade Associations across the country, to be held at the Lahore Chamber on Monday at 11:00 AM, in order to formulate a united course of action on the issue.

He expressed grave concern over the newly added Section 3A in the Income Tax Ordinance, which allows immediate tax recovery based on a High Court or Supreme Court decision, bypassing the due legal process. Similarly, Clause 6A added to Section 140 empowers the FBR to freeze a taxpayer’s bank account and withdraw funds without any prior notice or legal proceedings, which he declared unacceptable.

According to the LCCI President, the newly inserted Section 175C authorizes the FBR to appoint its officer in any business premises to monitor production, services, and stock—an act considered a direct breach of business confidentiality and a blatant intrusion into private enterprise.

Furthermore, amendments to the Federal Excise Act have criminalized the use of fake stamps, barcodes, or labels, tightening the grip on businesses. Granting powers of checking and confiscation to other departments could undermine the constitutional jurisdiction of central authorities.

Mian Abuzar Shad emphasized that enforcing such an ordinance under Article 89 of the Constitution without parliamentary approval goes against democratic norms. He urged the government to immediately review the ordinance and move forward with legislation only after taking all stakeholders into confidence.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025